The Torah relates that Moshe donned a מסוה to hid the luminescence of his face, when addressing the community. What was the nature/appearance of this "masveh"?
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1 Answer
Excerpts from http://www.lss.org/learning.php?pg=Divrei_Torah&articleId=268 :
- etymology favors “veil.” The root of masveh means clothing or covering, as in Yaakov’s blessing of Yehudah, “He will launder his garments in wine and his robe (sutoh) in the blood of grapes” (Gen. 49:11). The same root appears in “Sivan,” the month when vegetation covers the ground (according to the Hirsch/Clark dictionary). In short, the masveh simply covers the face and does not reimagine or recast it.
- Saadia explains that the masveh was intended to make disputants less afraid to approach Moshe for assistance.
- Ibn Ezra, emphasizing guidance rather than fear, observed that Moshe did not wear the masveh when teaching. Moshe wanted the people to see the radiance only when he spoke words of Torah.
- Daat Mikra says that Moshe covered his face out of modesty. Moshe was not comfortable showing publicly that the radiance of the shechinah (or Divine Presence) was upon him.
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3The question seems to be asking what exactly the veil was, not the reasons for wearing it.– user1292Commented Mar 12, 2012 at 21:18
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1@mochin that is the thrust, but they are related; the function informs the form. Commented Mar 13, 2012 at 10:07
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The link you quote does not work for me. Nor could I find the article at www.lss.org . Can you help please? Commented Mar 5, 2015 at 12:46
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Apparently, registration is now required. I just registered, now a mod needs to approve Commented Mar 6, 2015 at 14:45
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Here's a cached copy @AvrohomYitzchok: web.archive.org/web/20130708181701/http://www.lss.org/… Commented Mar 6, 2015 at 15:08